Tube-forming apparatus



11, 1931- w. G. JOHNSON TUBE FORMING APPARATUS Filed May 4, 1928 .ZZZEZ 3 Sheets-Sheet l W W a NH NM 9% M ATTORNEY 1931- w. G. JOHNSON 1,817,923

TUBE FORMING APPARATUS Filed May 4, 1928 s Sheets-Sheet 2 &

INVENTOR ATTORNEY w. G. JOHNSON TUBE FORMING APPARATUS Aug. 11, 1931.

Filed May 4. 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR ZMZLM BY ATTORNEY Patented Aug. ii, 1931 UNETEE STATES PATENT @FFEQE WILLIAM G. JOHNSON, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCUNSIN, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO LINE MATERIAL COIEPANY, OF SOUTH MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A

CURPORATION OF DELAWARE TUBE-FORTJIENG APPARATUS Application filed May 4, 1928. Serial no. 275,130.

The invention relates to a method and apparatus for forming conduit or tubing from pulp stock.

Heretofore fibre tubes or conduits have been made by coiling wet films or sheets of paper pulp upon a mandrel and then drying the tubes thus formed. With tubes manufactured in this manner the bond between the laminations or coils is not satisfactory and a relatively brittle tube or conduit results which does not stand up well under shocks incident to handling. The object of this in vention is to provide a method and apparatus for forming conduit or tubing from pulp stock by treating a solid mass of the pulp to form the completed tube and effecting by this treatment, an intimate interweaving and interlocking of the pulp fibres, preventing to a maximum degree the flaking off of the inner wall layers under service and whereby the tube will readily stand shocks incident to handling.

The invention further consists in the several features hereinafter set forth and more particularly defined by claims at the conclusion hereof.

In the drawings Fig. 1, is a vertical, sectional view through apparatus embodying the invention, taken on the line 11 of Fig. 3; Fig. 2 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1;"

Fig. 3 is an end elevation view, parts being broken away;

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 55 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 66 of Fig. 1.

The method of making the conduit or tubing consists in the depositing and interlocking upon a perforated mandrel, by suction pressure, the desired amount of pulp fibre to form the completed tube, then compacting and interlocking the fibres while under suction pressure by exerting pressure thereon over the entire surface area of the tube, then relieving the suction and subjecting the tube to pressure over its entire area to loosen the tube from the mandrel and then removing the tube from the mandrel. The mandrel may be manipulated by hand to carry out the above steps of my method but much greater speed can be obtained by the apparatus herein shown.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 12 designates the base, 13 the upright end frames of the apparatus, 14 a tank containing pulp stock, 15 a stationary shaft or arbor upon which the hollow tubular hub 16 of a carrier 17 is revolubly mounted. This carrier 17 has radially extending arms 18 provided with hollow heads 19 in each of which a tubular extension 20 of the mandrel carrier 21 is journalled, as by ball-bearing journals 22.

'A tubular mandrel 23 is secured at one end to the carrier 21 and the other end is closed by a cap 24. This mandrel is provided with a plurality of apertures 25, rendering it foraminous, and is adapted to dip into the pulp solution in the tank 14 during the rotation of the carrier.

The carrier 17 is given an intermittent step-by-step rotation by means of a Geneva tooth-gear drive, shown more particularly in Figs. 3 and 5, consisting of a Geneva toothgear 26 secured on the hub 16 and cooperating with a roller tooth 27 mounted on a crank arm 28 secured to a rotating shaft 29 journalled in the frame of the machine. This shaft may be driven in any suitable manner. As shown, a gear 29' on said shaft meshes with a gear 30 on a lay shaft 30' which carries a gear 31 meshing with a gear 31 on a shaft 32 carrying a sprocket 33 connected by a chain 34 with a sprocket 35 on a shaft 36 which has a worm gear reduction drive connection 37 with a shaft 38 connected by flexible drive coupling 39 with the shaft 40 of an electric motor 41. The indexing positions of the mandrels are noted in Fig. 6 as A, B, C, D,E, F, G, and H.

Each tubular extension 20 of the mandrel supportis associated with a cap 42 connected by a pipe 43 with a passage 44 in the hub 16 adjacent a valve 45. The valve 45 is mounted at one end on the inner end of the shaft 15 and at its other end within the inner end of a shaft 46 mounted on the frame member 13 so that both of said shafts and valve form a stationary arbor about which the carrier turns, the registering surface of the valve and hub being conical to insure a good seal. This valve is preferably divided in its interior by a partition 47 so that one compartment 48 communicates with the passage 49 in shaft 15 and then by pipe 50 to a suitable suction source 50, as a suction pump, and so that the other compartment 51 communicates with the passage 52 in shaft 46 and then by pipe 53 to a suitable suction source 53, as a suction pump. The pipes 43 lead into the hub 16, as shown inFig. 6, and during the course of their rotation successively come into register with ports 54, 55 and 56, communicating with the compartment 51 and with ports 57, 58 and 59 communicating with compartment 48. During the time any particular mandrel is moving through the tank 14 and through the indexing positions A, B and C its pipe 43 successively registers with the ports 54, 55 and 56 so that the suction pressure supplied draws the liquid constituent of the pulp solution through the perforations 25 of the mandrel and thence from its interior through the tube 20, cap 42, pipe 43, hub 16 to the compartment 51 and thence through passage 52 and pipe 53 to a place of discharge. This suction action causes the pulp fibres to be drawn against and around the mandrel and to be deposited thereon to provide a wall of any desired thickness, the degree of thickness being varied by varying the consistency of the pulp solution or the length of time the mandrel is immersed in said solution.

The mandrel thus coated with pulp fibre to the desired thickness is then raised out of the tank by the movement of carrier 21 to the indexing position D at which its pipe 43 is in register with the port 57 and suction pressure is applied to subject the pulp mass to a constant suction of air which passes through and against said mass causing the mass to adhere to the mandrel, give up its excess Water and to shrink. At the next indexing position, E, with the pipe 43 in register with port 58 the suction is continued and at the same time the mass is compacted by means of a pressing roller 60 mounted to rotate with a shaft 61 carried on free ends of spaced lever arms 62 mounted on an oscillatory shaft 63 journalled in the end frame members, said shaft 61 being rotated by means of a sprocket 64 thereon connected by a chain 65 with a sprocket 66 on a shaft 67 carrying a gear 68 meshing with gear 31. The roller 60 is moved down into operative pressing relation with the tube by an arm 69 secured to shaft 63 at one end and operatively connected at its other end by a link 70 to one end of a lever 71 pivoted at 72 and carrying a roller 73 engaging a rotary cam 74. The cam 7 4 is mounted on a shaft 75 carrying a gear 76 meshing with agear 77 on the shaft 29. The rotation of roller 60 against the pulp-coated mandrel causes the same to rotate and the pulp is compressed thereby while the vacuum is holding the pulp in close relation with the mandrel and during this time the outer end of the mandrel is preferably supported in a bearing 7 8 carried on the end of a reciprocating shaft 79 which carries a roller 80 engaging a cam 81 on shaft 75. Instead of driving the roller 66. the mandrel 23 may be driven by suitable i-echanism so as to cause relative rotation between the mandrel and the pressing roller. Thereafter the roller 60 is raised slightly by the cam 7 4 and the mandrel moves to indexing position F, at which position the pipe 43 registers with port 59 and another roller, similar to the roller 60 and similarly operated, may be used to further compress the pulp. The mandrel then moves to the indexing position G, at which time the suction is out off and a roller 82 mounted on a shaft 83 journalled in the free ends of lever arms 84 is moved down to press upon the compacted mass. The arms 84 are mounted on a shaft 85 journalled in the frame of the machine and carrying a crank arm 86 operatively connected by link 87 with a lever 88 pivoted at 89 and carrying a roller 90 engaging the cam 91 on the shaft 7 5, which causes their downward movement. The roller 82 is rotated by the rotation of shaft 83 by sprocket 92, chain 93 and sprocket 94 on shaft 32.

As the roller 82 presses upon the compacted pulp mass the mandrel is rotated and at the same'time the pulp becomes loosened therefrom so that after this operation, while the mandrel is in the indexing position H, the operator may readily slip the completed, wet pulp tube from the shaft and send it to the dryer. During the time the roller 82 is in action the outer end of the mandrel is supported in a bearing 95 carried by a reciprocating shaft 96 provided with a roller 97 engaging the cam 81.

The shafts 79 and 96 are timed by the cam 80 to move up to operative position with the mandrels while the cams 81 and 91 are acting to hold the rollers 60 and 84 against the mandrels and to move down before the mandrels move to their next indexing position.

Fig. 1 shows the roller 82 and its associated supporting and rotating parts in elevation and as the roller 60 is similarly supported and located on the other side of the machine and- Figs. 2, 3 and 5 show these parts and their relative location further detailed showing is not considered necessary.

The partition 47 in the valve is not necessary to the successful operation of the apparatus, providing the capacity of one vacuum pump is large enough to compensate for the great loss of vacuum when the coated tubes rise above the tank and are open to atmosphere. Separating the two parts of the valve by the partition and using two pumps is onlyfor economy in the operation of the vacuumproducing mechanism.

I desire it to beunderstood that this invention is not to be limited to any specific arrangement or construction of parts or to be otherwise limited except in so far as such limitations are specified in the claims.

at I claim as my invention is:

, 1. The method of forming conduit or tubing from pulp fibres which consists in depositing upon a perforated mandrel, by suction pressure, pulp fibres from a solution of pu'lp'fibres, interlocking and compacting the fibres while under suction pressure, relieving the suction and subjecting the compacted tube to further pressure on its outer surface to loosen it from the mandrel, and then removing the tube from the mandrel.

2. The method of forming conduit or tubing from pulp fibres which consists in immersing a perforated mandrel into a solution of pulp fibres and causing a coating of pulp fibres to be de osited thereon by application of suction pre ure to the mandrel, removing the pulp-coated mandrel from the solution and while the suction pressure is on compressing the fibres while rotating the mandrel, relieving the suction pressure and exerting pressure against the compacted fibre tube while rotating the mandrel to loosen the same therefrom, and then removing the compacted fibre tube from the mandrel.

3. The method of forming conduit or tubing from pulp fibres which consists in immersing a perforated mandrel in a solution of pulp fibres and causing a coating of pulp fibres to be deposited thereon by the application of suction pressure to the mandrel, removing the pulp-coated mandrel ,from the solution and maintaining the suction pressure to shrinkthe fibres about the mandrel, compacting and interlocking the fibres by ap plying pressure thereto while still under suction pressure, then relieving the suction and subjecting the compacted tube to further pressure on its outer surface to loosen the same from the mandrel, and then removing the tube from the mandrel.

4. In an apparatus for forming conduit or tubing from pulp fibres, the combination of a tank containing a pulp solution, a movable carrier, a perforated mandrel rotatably mounted on the carrier and movable therewith into and out of the solution in said tank, means for inducing a suction pressure in said mandrel While immersed in the pulp solution and for maintaining said pressure after said" mandrel moves out of said tank, a rotating pressure roller engageable with the pulp-coated mandrel, means for causing rela tive rotation between said roller and mandrel, means for relieving the suction pressure on the mandrel after the pressing by said roll- .er, a rotating pressure roller engageable with the compacted fibre tube to loosen the same from the mandrel, and means for causing relative rotation between said last-named roller and mandrel.

5. In an apparatus for forming conduit or tubing from pulp fibres, the combination of a tank containing a pulp solution, a rotatable carrier, a perforated mandrel rotatably mounted on said carrier and movable therewith into and out of the solution in said tank, means for inducing suction pressure in said mandrel including a hollow shaft upon which said mandrel is supported and having openings forming a valve controlling the suction pressure in said mandrel, means for compacting the coated mandrel, and means for loosening the compacted tube.

6. In an apparatus for forming conduit or tubing from pulp fibres, the combination of a tank containing a pul solution, a stationary shaft above the tank aving a valve portion adapted to be connected to a source of suction pressure, a carrier rotatably mounted on said shaft, means for imparting an intermittent step-by-step rotation to said carrier, perforated mandrels journalled on said carrier, means for connecting the interior of each of said mandrels with said valve during the movement of said mandrels through said tank, whereby said mandrels successively re ceive a coating of pulp from said solution, and for a predetermined period thereafter whereby said coatings are caused to adhere to and shrink about said mandrels, means for pressing the pulp about the mandrel duringthis period, and means for thereafter pressing the compacted tube to loosen the same from the mandrel.

7. In an apparatus for forming conduit or tubing from pulp fibres, the combination of a tank containing a pulp solution, a rotatable carrier, perforated mandrels journalled on and projecting from said carrier and movable therewith into and out of said solution, means connecting said mandrels to a source of suction pressure while moving through the pulp solution in said tank whereby the pulp fibres are deposited upon said mandrel, means for compacting said fibres including a rotatable pressure roller, and means for supporting the projecting end' of said mandrel while being operated upon by said roller.

8. In an apparatus for forming conduit or tubing from pulp fibres, the combination of a tank containing a pulp solution, a rotatable carrier, perforated mandrels journalled on and projectingfrom said carrier and movable therewith into and out of said solution,

means connecting said mandrels to a source of suction pressure while moving through the pulp solution in said tank whereby the pulp fibres are deposited upon said mandrel, means for compacting said fibres including a retatable pressure roller, means for supporting the projecting ends of said mandrels while being operated upon by said roller, a rotatable loosening roller engageable with said mandrels, means for supporting the projecting ends of said mandrels While being operate upon by said last-named roller, and means for imparting an intermittent, stepby-step rotation to said carrier for moving said mandrels through said tank and ast said rollers. In testimony whereof, I afhx my signature.

WILLIAM G. JOHNSON. 

